GREECE: BRITISH MINISTER'S VISIT (Hansard, 28 November 1972)

§ LORD BROCKWAY
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY (THE EARL OF LIMERICK)
My Lords, the purpose of my visit was to discuss with Greek Ministers in general terms matters of mutual interest in the commercial and economic field. I believe our exchange of views to have been useful on both sides. I reached the conclusion that there are good opportunities for an expansion of Anglo-Greek trade and that British businessmen who wish to explore these will be made very welcome.

§ LORD BROCKWAY
My Lords, while thanking the noble Earl for that reply, may I ask him this question? Was not also one of the conclusions of his visit that it enhanced the authority and status of a military dictatorship which has overthrown democracy and which has imprisoned its political opponents and systematically tortured them, as indicated in the book published last week by Lady Fleming? Is he aware that last week, in the North Atlantic Assembly, the Greek flag was hauled down in protest against their régime?

§ THE EARL OF LIMERICK
My Lords, I do not think that any such conclusion could be drawn from my visit and the content of my talks. As I have said, these were limited to matters of trade and commerce, where we have a real and common interest with the Greek people, and they were useful in furthering those interests.

§ LORD MAYBRAY-KING
My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl—and as I ask this question I have in mind my friends the last Speaker of Greece and the last Prime Minister of Greece—whether he is aware that in the original Treaty of NATO the NATO Powers undertook "to strengthen their free institutions"; and that NATO, which is democratic and is opposed to dictatorship both of the Right and of the Left, would be not only more effective morally but even more effective militarily and economically if it could persuade Greece to return to freedom? Did the noble Earl convey some of that to the Greek Minister?

§ THE EARL OF LIMERICK
My Lords, I did not convey that; it was not the object of my visit. My visit was concerned with matters of trade and commerce.

§ LORD SUDELEY
My Lords, would my noble friend the Minister not agree that whatever Greece may do with her own internal affairs is entirely her own private concern, and that to think otherwise is just part of an old liberal tradition?

§ LORD BROCKWAY
My Lords, reverting to the Minister's earlier reply, may I ask whether he stated in Athens on November 3, as reported in the British Press, that there were more opportunities than Anglo-Greek trade, and that the discussions were timely in view of Britain's entry into the E.E.C.? If so, did not the discussions go further than trade?

§ THE EARL OF LIMERICK
My Lords, I said that there were more opportunities than problems in the field of trade. That is a correct quotation. I went no further than that.

§ LORD MERRIVALE
My Lords, while welcoming my noble friend's attitude towards Greece and the Greek Government, may I ask him whether his Department has assessed the potentialities of the 30 public sector projects which were brought to his attention, and has informed the C.B.I. accordingly, bearing in mind the 2 per cent. decline in our share of the Greek market at the moment and also the difficulties of identifying profitable investment opportunities?

§ THE EARL OF LIMERICK
My Lords, these opportunities have been well publicised. I made it clear that it was not part of my function to negotiate on them, and that these were matters for the companies concerned. It is a fact that the vast preponderance of our trade at the moment is with the private sector, and that there are now substantial opportunities also in the public sector.

§ LORD BROCKWAY
My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl—I want to be constructive as well as critical—whether he has seen the report this week, in Athens, that there is to be freedom of political prisoners and exiles on December 6, and that there is to be an election of the Consultative Committee of the Legislature? Will Her Majesty's Government do all they can to support this return to democracy and defeat what has previously occurred when hopes have been held out and have then resulted in disappointment?

§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYE
My Lords, may I ask the Leader of the House for guidance, as to whether, on a Question about the visit of a Parliamentary Under-Secretary, we are to have a general debate on the ethics and immorality of the Greek Administration?

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (EARL JELLICOE)
My Lords, with all deference to my noble friend, I think the Parliamentary Under-Secretary is well capable of taking care of himself in this matter. Although the discussion is tending to go a bit wide, I suspect that my noble friend is anxious to answer the last supplementary question put to him, but after that I think we might pass on. I think he has triplets to deliver, and that he has not delivered two of them yet.

§ THE EARL OF LIMERICK
My Lords, I should like to say that I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Brockway, for drawing my attention to this newspaper article; and to add that the news, if confirmed, is indeed most welcome to us.